Group presentation of the group research project
A. Presentation Format
o An oral presentation of 20-25 minutes maximum (strictly)
o Each group member should present a part. Say your name as you begin your part.
o Talk-time should be more or less equally shared among members: 5 minutes per person
o Send your PowerPoint Slides to your instructor by email at least 24 hours before the date and time of your presentation. If your presentation is scheduled on Tuesday during the 8:30am tutorial, you should send the link to your instructor on Monday before 8:30am. Fine grades will be deducted in case of late submission.
B. Presentation Topic
Your research should focus on a variety of English spoken by people in a particular country, region, or community. This variety of English may be used as a first, second or foreign language, or as a lingua franca between two or more groups. It can be a ‘standard’ variety of English, a dialectal variety of English, a post-colonial variety of English, a sub-variety of English, an English-based pidgin or creole or an EFL type of English. You could also choose two varieties and compare and contrast them if you wanted. You may find interesting ideas in part A1 of the coursebook.
C. Research questions
Once you’ve chosen a variety or two of English, you should identify some research questions to problematize your topic and give direction to your investigation. What do you want to find out about the topic? Refer to the following indicative list of points to think about for your questions after you have decided on your questions. You are expected to investigate all points in each category that are relevant to your variety. You can add to the list if you think it is appropriate. Consult your instructor. (To problematize: to regard as a meaningful question or significant problem requiring an answer or solution.)
D. Information sources
Information should be purposefully selected, analyzed and organized to answer your research questions. To this effect, it should be relevant, reliable, diverse and complementary, coherently presented and critically analyzed. Indicatively, you should use:
o Information from specialized literature or credible sources (books, chapters, articles)
o Textual artifacts (letter; news article; book or textbook extract; advert; etc.)
o Audiovisual artifacts (film, commercial, song, conversation, speech, etc.)
o First-hand data: you should try to collect and analyze your own direct observation, experience or enquiry of the chosen variety through all available means: observation (with participants’ awareness and consent), interviews, questionnaire or any other means. Interviews can be in person or through video call, as long as the recording can be analyzed and included in your presentation. **First-hand data can inform linguistic features but also other important questions about education and transmission, evolution, language and identity, language as a cultural tool, etc.
o Reference list in APA style in your report. Include only the references that you use in your presentation and report.
It is important that you verify information by cross-checking it via multiple sources. Critically assess information found on the Internet, and check it against other sources for verification. Look for diverse, authoritative sources as well as first-hand data to validate or invalidate information.
E. Indicative list of sub-topics
o Definition and relevance:
o What variety are you presenting? Why? Explain your interest.
o Does it relate to you in any way? How did you discover this variety? Any speakers of this variety in your group or family or relatives circle? Can it be heard in HK?
o What can you & your classmates gain by learning about this variety of English?
o General information:
o Location(s) and socio-cultural background(s) of speakers; number of speakers
o Other languages usually known by speakers of this variety (if any and relevant)
o Status of this variety (official and non-official recognition)
o Frequency, context(s), purpose(s), domain(s) of use
o Origin and Evolution:
o Where does this variety come from?
o How did it come to be? (social-historical background)
o How did it transform through time? (diachronic change)
o How did it transform through space and other social, economic, political circumstances? (synchronic variation)
o Education and transmission:
o How is this variety learned and passed on? Orally? In writing? Both?
o Is there a body of literature written in this variety? How does it inform the topic?
o Is it taught in school? if so, how and at what stage: primary, secondary, tertiary?
o How does this impact this variety in terms of use, recognition and evolution?
o Distinctive linguistic features:
o Phonological features (sound)
o Lexical and semantic features (vocabulary and meaning at word level)
o Syntactic features (word order, sentence structure, grammar)
o Pragmatics features (role of context; meaning at conversation or discourse level)
o Language and Identity:
o Speakers’ common perception(s) and attitudes towards this variety: legitimate or not, proper or not, socially and culturally valued or not, etc.
o Effect(s) of use on self-perception: how do speakers perceive themselves as users of this variety: pride? shame? strong, weak or no identification with it? etc.
o How does this variety contribute to speakers’ sense of identity?
o Language as a cultural tool:
o Is this the only variety of English known by its speakers or just one English variety in their repertoire? If just one, which other varieties do they know?
o What factors motivate their choice to use this variety of English over another variety of English or another language of their repertoire?
o Controversies or debates in relation to this variety of English? Insights on its possible evolutions in the future? Spread? Decline? Transformation? Why so?
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o English as a Global Language:
o Where does this variety fit in the ‘Standard English’ debate? How does it inform this debate?
o Is this variety an old or new English? How legitimate is this variety of English? Is it considered a norm, at least locally? If so, whom by? What are some implications